The International Longshore and Warehouse Union is seeking a contract for just two years, according to a report from CONECT, the Coalition of New England Companies for Trade.
Employers, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association, want a minimum three-year contract, but would prefer a six-year contract to replace the six-year contract that expires at the end of June, CONECT reports. Retailers and other cargo interests also would prefer a longer contract because it would provide for a longer period of stability on the docks.
Issues at the center of the negotiations include jurisdiction and health care, and the latter figures into the length of the contract. The federal Affordable Health Care Act starting in 2018 will impose a so-called Cadillac tax on generous health care plans. … Negotiators this year could be aiming for a shorter contract that does not address health care in the hope that Congress would take action before 2018 to remove the Cadillac tax.
